Method of mechanically milking.



J. L. HULBERT.

METHOD OP MEGHANIGALLY MILKING,

. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 1911. 1,043,01 8., 'Patented 0013.29, 1912.

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miv/Mfrs? J. L. HULBERT. METHOD 0F MEGHANIOALLY MILKING.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.6, 1911. 1,043,0l 3. Patented out. 29, 1912.

m m. w. my B /UNrrED STATES yPATENT OFFICE.

JOHN L. HULBEBT, 01l POUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB T0 THE DE LAVAL SEPABATOB COMPANY, ACORPOBATION OF NEW JERSEY.

METHOD OF MECHANICALLY MILKING.

1,043,013. original appncation med :une so, 1911,

Specification of Lettera Patent.

Patented 0615.294912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN L. HULnERT, a citizen ofthe United States, residlng at Poughkeepsie, county of Dutchess, and State of New York, have invented a Anew and useful Improvement in Methods of Mechanically Milking, of which the followmg 1s a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, which form apart of th1s specification.

My invent-ion consists in certain improvements in milking machines whereby a more eflicient result is obtained.

My invention relates to a milking machine which is providedV with teat cups each of which contains an iniiatable cushion or cushions. By admitting air to and exhausting it from these inflatable cushion or cushions in each cup, a pulsation is produced. These -teat cups have a conical extension from their lower end whichrsurrounds the teat, and through which the extracted milk passes. l

In my improvement the conical extensions have connecting Ipipes which extend to a milk receiving chamber having an outlet tube. This milk chamber and its outlet tube are constantly under a vacuum or partial vacuum. The drawing off of the milk by constant vacuum is more efficient than a pulsating action, because it milks more thoroughly, but on the other hand, it produces a 'drawin upon the teat which is irritating and hurt ul. y A pulsation will draw oi the milk more quickly and will not draw or swell the teat, as in the case of constant vacuum.

The principle Vof my invention is to pro- Avide a pulsating action when the flow is larve, and when it grows smaller and more di cult to draw oif, to decrease the pulsating action until -nally when the lilow reaches the smallest point z'. e. at or about the end of the milking; it approaches a constant vacuum without any substantial pulsation which results in drawing ofi' all the milk. This results from the arrangement, hereinafter described, wliere the exhaust from the cushion passes directly or indirectly through the milk receiving chamber under vacuum. With this arrangement, initially, when the flow of milk is free, .a pulsating action of considerable amplitude is produced, but when the-flow becomes smalland the milk difficult to extro tract, the vacuum increases and the pulsating amplitude decreases. As will be seen, when treating specifically of the apparatus, this efect is produced becausewhen the milk Hows most freely, the pipe connection to the vacuum is full of milk and theair exhausted from the cushion chamber produces a pulsation of the greatest amplitude. As the flow coy decreases, the milk in thepipe connection becomes less and a part of the air is lcarried toward the vacuum and the pulsations become less,and the vacuum stronger. This continues until the nal extraction of the milk, when the extraction is sodiiicult, and the iiow so small, that practically all the exhaust air is enabled to go to the vacuum and the action on the teat becomes practically vacuum alone, there being practically no pulsation ora very low pulsation.`

In my invention Ilstart the milking ini tially with a pulsatingaction ofconsiderable amplitude and low vacuum, and as the milking proceeds, decreasing the pulsating amplitude and increasing the strength of the vacuum. Further, with my improved apparatus, the pressure 'upon the lower part' of the yteat is less than the pressure on the upper part. If the pressure inthe cushion z'. e. the pressure on the upper part of the teat. is not greater than that on the lower part, the mil passage in the teat might be closed. 1 My invention also consists in certain other improvements, -which generally speaking, may be stated as follows: Providing a conling valve initially moved by a diaphragm, and subse uently by air admitted in the movement o the valve by the dia phragm. A milk chamber, an iniiatable diaphragm for moving thevalve and admitting pressure to the diaphragm and exhausting into lthe milk chamber. Providing a milk chamber having a tube adaptedA to com ey milk in connection with the teat cups, a, which milk chamber is under vacuum. A plurality of milk cups, each having an iniiatable cushion or diaphragm, a single valve controlling the admission of air to all of the said cushions, and allowing the air so admitted toexhaust to a milk chamber o r to the connections from the cups to the I will now describe the embodiments of my invention shown'in the accompanying drawings, and then point out the invention in the claims.

ln the drawings: Figure 1 is a sectional view of my apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is across section on line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a partial section. showing outlet from milk chamber to milk receptacle. Fig. 4 is a view of another embodiment of my invention principally in central section 3 0 on the line 4 4, Fig. 6. Fig. 5 is a s ectional view' of a part of the form shown in Fig. 4;, buttaken on the line 5 5, Figs. 6

- and 8. Fig. 6 is a section on line 6 6, Fig. 5. Fig. 'i' is aview of a part'of the apparatus of Fig. 4. ig. 8 is a section on line 8 8, Fig. 5.

I will first describe the construction shown in Figs. 1-3. a are the teat cups proper, having the conical extension?) surrounding the discharge portion of the'teat connected with a flexible pipe c leading tothe milk receiving chamber d. e is the outlet pipe from the milk receiving chamber leadingto the milk receptacle, not shown. 4This pipe e is constantly und-er p vacuum or `partial vacuum in the milk receiving chamber, the pipe connection between the conical ends of the teat cups and the milk receiving chamber, and in the coni` cal ends of thejteat cups each teat cup a is provided with a lining 25. The space between the lining 25 an'd the inner wall of the .cup forms a cushion chamber in which is placed an inflatable bag orcushion f. g, g are inlets to the cushion chambers connected by iiexible pipes It with the passages i in 'the v valve casing The valve comprises the valve proper j and-the hollow valve stem lc. This valve stem has the slotted portion 'l through 40 which a pin m, connected with 1 the valve proper, passes. o is yan inlet to the Valve casing from a source of pressure supply, not shown. This inlet o terminates in the chamber o. p are passages'leading from the valve casing to the milk receiving chamber.

g is a passage or port through the wall of the valve stem and communicating with hollow portion of the stem. 7' are exhaust passages in the valve proper communicating with the exhaust port s. t is a passage in the valve proper and a is another passage in saidvalve proper. o is -an annular chamber inthe valve casing in .connection with.

Ythe pressure passage. The piston stem does not make a close fit with the lower portionof the valve casing, leaving the con'stricted passage 'wl a'- is the diaphragm chamber havingv therein the diaphragm y. z is a puppet valve, in the lower portion of the diaphragm chamber a: controlling vthe port n. Theoperation is as follows: When the valve and valve stem are latntheir lower position, the diaphragm chamber-*a2l is by passage Yw, passage tand passagep' in connection withthe milk cham# suction producing a vThe air from below ber, which being under vacuum, relieves the pressure above the diaphragm, the puppet valve lifts, and the air pressure below the diaphragm causes the diaphragm to lift, lifting the hollow valve stem wlth which it is connected. The stem lifts until the slot and pin connection between it and the valve proper causes the valve lto lift also. The lifting of thel valve brings passages u and t in communication with the source of# pressure supply, and passage .u in connection with the passages z' leading to the teat cup cushion chambers. This admits air under pressure to the cushion chambers of the teat cups and also beneath the valve, causing it to quickly complete its movement to the top. l Through the constrictedpassage w, pressure is also admitted slowly to the diaphragm chamber above the diaphragm y forcing it down slowly and carry- 35 ing with it the hollow va ve stem k. This movement is partly resist by the comression of air below the diaphragm y.' uring the downward movement of the valve stem I.: the upper end of the slot Z strikes 9() the pin m. at the instant that the port g registers with the passager. It then carries the valve proper j with it. 'When 'the passage r registers with the port s the compression in the space below the diaphragm y is relieved through the hollow stem c' the port g, passage r and port s.v A very ,slight rther movement of the valve j covers the groove 'v and cuts olii' the supply of compressed air, but the expansion of lthat already in the space above the diaphragm completes the movement of the-diaphragm and by the valve stem k and pin m carries the valve proper 7' to the position where groove u communicates with passage 12. the valve y' escapes to the'l vacuum through passages t and p, the milk chamber d and the passage e. Atmospheric pressure acting on top of the valve j completes the valve movement and allows the air from cushions f to escape to the milk chamber by way of the inlets g, tubes 71., passages z', groove u and passa e p. The valve is now in the original p ositlon and the cycle of operation is repeated.

The construction shown in Figs. 4 8 dif` fers from that ldescribed specifcallv in the following: In the construction of these fig-v ,ures, the exhaust from the cushion chambers of the teat cups is into they lower extension of the teat cup inste'ad"olf intothe e milk receiving chamber, but changev makes no difference' in the'principle of op- Y eration.- Further, the valves :for controlling l i the operation are not precisely the same. will now describe this construction or the differences between it and the other construction. As in the construction last de scribed, there are teat cups a having an vupper portion containing an iniatablecushion f and a conical lower portion b having a liquid pipe connection c with a milk recelving chamber d.' This milk receiving chamber d has a assage e leading to t receptacle. here 1s a suction constantly on the passage e from a source of suction notshown) which creates a vacuum or partial vacuum in the passage el, the milk receivingV chamber (l and the teat cup conical lower chamber is the piston 6 connected to the rod 7. This piston has a slot 8 through' which passes a pin 90' connected to the valve proper 18. 9-'is the pressure inlet leading rom source of pressure supply, not shown, and terminating in the annular chamber 10. 11 is a passage leading from the port- 12 to the conical lower portions b of the teat cups. 13 is a passage in the valve proper 18. 14 is a passage i'n ythe valve proper 18', and 15 is a contracted space between the piston rod and its bushing. 16 are passages 1n the valve casing, connecting through tube 26 with the cushion chambers of. the teat cups a. In the position shown in Fig. 4, the pressure supply is connected with the pipe leading to cushion chamber of teat cups. and also to top of piston 6. When the pressure l is suiiicient on to of the piston to move it,

it and its rod 7 escend. After moving the length of the slot 8 they carry the valve 18 with them. This downward movement is retarded by the compression of air below piston 6 until assage 17 connects with port 5 and allows t e air tol escape. The piston then makes a quick downward movement carrying the valve 18 past the lap position. The passage 13 connects 16 and 11 (see Fig. 7), and the air in the inflatable cushion chamber exhausts into the conical discharge portions of the teat cups. The upper portion of chamber 2 above-the piston 6 is,

through. passages 14, 15 and 11, connected with the conical discharge portion of the teat cup, and, it -being under constant suction, the air in said ortion of the chamber exhausts therethroug When the air-above the piston is exhausted, the valvevis allowed to lift, admitting air through the port 3 and' the piston is lifted. The first upward movement of the piston is a free movement of the rod 7, which at the end of its free move ment, cuts oit the connection of passages 13 and 14 with passage 11- and connects the pressure supply with passage 14, which admits air below the valve quickly, lifting e milk the valve by ythe air, and admits air slowly tothe top of piston. Air pressure is also admitted through passage 1.6 to the cushion` chambers. The admission of' air rapidly below the valve and slowly above the piston enables the valve to be 'rapidly raised to its ultimate position while the pressure above the piston is slowly accumulating to a int suiiicient to cause the piston to deseen In both the construction of Figs. 143 and that of 4-8, by intermittently exhausting from the cushion chamber to the milk passage from the teat to the milkv receptacle, a. pressure is intermediately admitted to this passage. Consequently the result initially described in this specification takes place.

I do not herein claim the machine described -and illustrated herein as the same forms the subject matter of an application filed by me'J une 30, 1911, Serial No. 636,144, of which this application is a division, while the speciiic construction shown in Figs. 4-8 forms the subject matter of a separate application, tiled by me June 30, 1911, Serial No. 636,145.

Havin now fully described my invention,

what I c aim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. The improved method of mechanically milking, which consists in constantly subj ecting the discharge portion of the teat to a suction with the source of which it is in constant communication, and independent of the suction and automatically creating pula suction and causing the milk to tendftos' vary the intensity of said suction inversely proportionate to the volume of its flow.

3. The improved method of mechanically milking, which consists in subjecting the discharge portion of the teat constantly to a suction, causing the milkto tend to vary the intensity of saidV suction inversely proportionate to the volume of its flow, and intermittently subjecting the teat, above the discharge, to pressure.

4. The improved lmethod of mechanically milking, which consists in constantly subjecting the discharge portion `of the teat to a suction with the source of which it is in constant communication, and, independent of the suction, and automatically, admitting pressure to cause or tend to cause pulsations.

5. The improved method of' mechanically milking, which consists inffconstantly subject'ing the discharge portion of the teat to a suction wit-h the source of which it is in constant communication and, independent of sure to cause or tend to cause pulsations.

6. The improved method of mechanically milking, which consists in constantly subjecting the discharge portion of the teat to a suction with the source of which it is in constant communication and, independent of milking, which consists in constantly i jecting the discharge portion ofthe teat to asuction with the source of which it is in milking, which consists in constantly -sub' constant comm ication and,independent of the suction, an automatically, admitting pressure to cause or tend to cause pulsations, and intermittently subjecting the teat 'above the discharge to pressure.

. 9. The improved method of `mechanically jecting the discharge portion of the teat to a suction with the source of ,which it is in constant communication, and, independent of the suction, intermittentlyadmitting pressure to cause or tend to cause pulsations, and

subjecting the pressure.

`1'0. The improved method of mechanically milking, which consists in constantly sub jectingthe discharge portion of the teat to teat above the discharge to .aV suction with the source of which it isA in constant communication,and,independent of the suction, and automatically, intermittently admitting pressure to cause/or tend to cause pulsations, and subjecting theteat above the discharge to pressure.

11. The improved method of Amechanically milking, ,which consists' in constantly 4subjecting'the dischargeportion of the teat to a suction with the source of which it is in constant communication, and, independent of the suction, intermittently admitting pressure to causeA or tend to cause pulsations, and intermittently subject-ing the 'at above the discharge to pressure.

12. The improved method of mechanically milking, which consists in constantly sub- 'jecting the discharge portion of the teat to Ya suction with the source of which it is in I constant communication and,independent of the suction, and automatically, 'intermit- 4,tently admitting pressure to cause or tend to cause pulsations, and intermittently subjecting the teat above -the discharge to pressure. y 13. The improved lmethod of mechanically milking, which consists in'4 constantlysubjectingA the discharge portion ofthe teat -to a suction with the source ofvwhich itis in of the teat t0A greatest, and when the flow o the action approximates that of suction alone,

L 16. The improved Y producing pu varying the amplitude of the constant communication, and creatin pulsations in said suction on the teat, and intermittently subjecting t-hefteat, above the discharge, to pressure.

14. The improved method of .mechanically milking, whlch consists yin subjecting the discharge portion of the teat constantly to a suction, and creat-ing pulsations in roporflow of milk is greatest, the greatest, and when the flow o the action approximates that alone. f

15. The improved-method of mechanically milking, which consists in subjecting the pulsations are milk is least of suction discharge portion of the teat constantly to a suction, and creating pulsations in roportion to the flow of mllk, whereby Wiien the flow of milk is greatest, the ulsations are i) milk is least and intermittently subjecting the teat, above the discharge, to pressure.

milk dischar e constantly to suction and sations in said discharge, and

rectly as the lowof the milk.

17. The improved method of mechanically milking, which consists in subjecting the milk discharge constantly to suction and Ation to the flow ofmllk, whereby w Ven the method of mechanically milking, which consists in subjecting the pulsations dil producing pulsations in said discharge, and

varying the amplitude of the pulsations directly as the flow of the milk, and intercharge, to pressure.

v 18. The 'improved method of mechanically -m1lking, Whlch consists in subjecting the milk discharge .constantly to suction and producing pulsationsin said discharge, varying the amplitude of the pulsations directly and the stren th of the suction inversely as the iiow o the milk.

19. The improved method of mechanically milking, which consists in subjecting the milk discharge constantly to suction and producing pulsations in said discharge, varying the amplitude of the pulsations directly and the strength of the suction in versely as the iow of the milk, and intermittentlyl subjecting the teat, above the discharge, to pressure.

20. The improved method of mechanically milking, which consists in subjecting t-he discharge from the teat constantly to a suction, intermittently compressing the teat by air pressure, and alternately therewith exhausting the air by which the teat is compressed into said discharge, whereby the amdplitude of the pulsations becomes less an '1N mittently subjecting the teat, above the d1s-l v the intensity of the suction' tends'to in- 't A crease as the flow of milk diminishes.

21. The improved method of mechanically milking, whichl consists inv subjecting the discharge portion of the teat constantly to a suction, intermittently compressing the teat by air pressure and, independent of the suction, automatically. and intermittently" admitting air pressure into the milk discharge, whereby when the milkv discharges freely, the exhaust of the air admitted-t0 the milk discharge will be obstructed and therefore tend nto maintain a relatively low vacuum therein and when the: discharge of milk is relatively small-the air admitted to the discharge Will exhaust freely and tend to maintain a relatively high vacuum therein. i

In testimony ofywhich invention, I have 15 hereunto set my hand, at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., on this'19 day of August, 1911. y

, y JOHN L. HULBERT.

Witnesses;v

Evnrm'rr H. TRAVIS,

KATHABINE FREEB. 

